Know Before You Go

Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time with a new take on forgiveness and why we need to do it seventy times seventy times (always).

Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, reminding us of Jesus' command to work together, always trying to repair our relationships with one another, for the sake of the kingdom.

Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, explaining that to pick up our cross and follow Jesus means more than "suffering, for the sake of the Gospel," but to have the wisdom to know God's particular call for us and to have the courage to act on it.

Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP unpacks the readings for the Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time, in which Jesus responds to Peter's profession of faith by promising to give him the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, in which Jesus tells us he is only here for the Children of Israel and Paul tells us he is here for the Gentiles. WHo are we here to serve?

Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, reflecting on Jesus as the calm amidst the storm of life.

Jesus was Transfigured on the mountain in order to strengthen Peter, James, and John for the his death and the task that lied ahead of them. Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for the Feast of the Transfiguration to say that this vision should strengthen us all to face our own death and the death of those we love with realistic hope and faith.

Breaking open the readings for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. James Marchionda, OP reminds us that if we have God's plan as our highest goal, whatever befalls us, we can be sure that God will make things well in the end.

Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, where Jesus uses a series of agricultural parables to teach how how to grow into true holiness, helping others to grow into it as well.

Unpacking the Parable of the Sower, Fr. Brian Walker, OP reminds us that as we sow, so shall we reap—so we need to watch how we live our lives and how we sow the seeds God has given us.

Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP unpacks the readings for the Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, with its classic reading, "Come to me all who labor and are burdened, and I shall give you rest." Fr. Scott interprets this using the first reading from the prophet Zechariah, who speaks of a humble saviour, who does not come on a war horse, but on the foal of a donkey, and banishes all of the instruments of war. Embracing this saviour brings peace.

Jesus assures us that even if we just give a cup a water to one of his little ones, we would not be without reward. Fr. Andrew Carl Wisdom, OP asks us to think if we work just for ourselves, or do we use our personal influence to help others?

Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time with a surprising insight into prayer—that God ultimately hears our prayers and vindicates us, but often not right away,. Thus, serving God can be painful and entail suffering, but it is still the path to eternal life and joy, so brace yourself for it if you want to walk this path.

Breaking open the readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. James Marchionda, OP advises us to remember what God has done for you, specifically, and to and use that as a gauge for what to do for others. What God has forgiven you, you should forgive others. As God has blessed you without cost, you should bless others without cost.

Fr. Donald Goergen, OP breaks open the readings for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ, explaining how the Holy Spirit transforms the bread and wine on the altar into the body and blood of Christ, in order to transform us, as we receive it, so that we can leave Mass being more Christ-like than when we came.

Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for this Solemnity, showing how the readings don't explain the Trinity so much as they point to a way to live out our faith in a God who is One in Three, Three in One, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Fr. Brian Walker, OP recalls the great events of Pentecost, when the Spirit united believers from different lands and of different languages so that they could come together and understand each other. Yet in the church today, we see many divisions, Catholics against Protestants against Orthodox, liberals against conservatives. We need to reopen our hearts to the Spirit that can unite.

Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP unpacks the readings for the celebration of the Ascension of the Lord, explaining why it was necessary for Jesus to leave in his physical form so that he could return in an even better way through the Church, the new body of Christ.

Fr. Donald Goergen, OP breaks open the readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, which let us know that the reason for our hope is the gift of the Holy Spirit that lives within. Since this Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, let us not despair that we can live the truth, and rededicate ourselves to be people of truth.

Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, which are both reassuring and challenging. Jesus reassures us that he is going ahead of us to prepare a place for us in heaven, but then he challenges us that we could do even greater works than his own. Will we?

Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for Good Shepherd Sunday, explaining how God protects us and frees us from sin so that we can join in the salvific work of God and have life more abundantly. Also, we enter into this state through Jesus, who is the gate, though the Sacraments.

Fr. Andrew Carl Wisdom, OP asks us to let the Resurrection of Jesus rewrite our understanding of our own journey, putting all of the struggles in our own lives into a new context of God's ongoing work in the world in letting us become Eucharist for others.

Fr. Brendan Curran, OP reminds us that each of us, at some time in life, has the doubts of Thomas the Apostle. Let us acknowledge these doubts so that we ca confront them and get to a deeper faith, as did Thomas.

Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP explains how the many readings for the Easter vigil outline the history of God's slow, saving work, which culminates in Jesus. At the same time, however, the Gospel reflects that first moment of people learning about the resurrection, when many struggle to believe and most don't understand. At this moment in time, society seems to be in the same place, where we have heard about the Resurrection, but we still live under the oppression of death and the fear of death.